


If I Woulda Wanted Social Intercourse, I Woulda Asked For It!

by StellarLibraryLady



Series: Star Trek The Gentle Seasons Series [48]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Barren Planet, Decency, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Episode: s01e13 The Galileo Seven, M/M, Philosophy, Zine: Spiced Peaches, away mission, fear of the unknown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 19:30:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20314825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/pseuds/StellarLibraryLady
Summary: A startling discovery leaves an away team visibly shaken.Appeared in Spiced Peaches LVII.





	If I Woulda Wanted Social Intercourse, I Woulda Asked For It!

**Author's Note:**

> Not a retelling of "The Galileo Seven," but has the premise of Spock being in charge of an away mission in which he and McCoy learn more respect for each other.

Leonard McCoy’s very stance indicated that he wanted no communication with anyone, so his fellow crewmen on this away mission had the good sense to leave him alone and go about their own business on this bleak planet.

Not so Spock.

“Dr. McCoy, would you care to share what is bothering you?”

McCoy folded his arms, turned aside, and muttered some monosyllable under his breath.

“I am sorry, Doctor, but I did not understand you.”

“There might be a perfectly good reason for that!” McCoy snapped back. “You might not like it if you could understand what I said.”

“Since I am in charge of this mission, it is my duty to question you. After all, I am responsible for your welfare.”

“And I am responsible for your health! So that puts us in quite a pissing contest now, doesn’t it, Commander?! You’re the boss over me in one way, and I’m the boss over you in another! Just what do you propose that we do about our gridlock?!”

“Well, I certainly do not wish to engage in the type of contest which you have proposed, especially since you generally drink more than I do. You most assuredly would win any contest involving the elimination of our liquid bodily wastes." 

"Alcohol! I generally drink more alcohol than you do! Of course, almost anyone over the age of consent does! As for water, we probably guzzle about the same amount in a day's time, as any healthy person should!"

"I stand corrected, Doctor," Spock conceded. "But that is a tiresome argument in light of our present circumstances in this desolate landscape. I will be happy to continue our debate during our free time back on the Enterprise, if you are so inclined."

McCoy shrugged. "Whatever."

"In the meanwhile, shall we continue in our evaluation of this planet? After all, that is why we are here and not simply to find another arena for our ongoing debates.”

McCoy glared at his verbal sparring partner as they fell into step with each other. The parched rock crunched under their boots. “You’re baiting me, ain’t you?! You don’t give two hoots in hell if I’ve got a problem, you just want to needle me awhile about it because you think it shows a weakness in me.”

“Dr. McCoy, I will admit that psychology was not one of my favorite subjects in school. I will also admit that my chief interest in it was a fascination for the foibles of the human animal and the many ways that creature could be led astray by his native emotions.”

“You would,” McCoy muttered. “Tell me, in all your travels, have you ever been interested in people simply because each is unique? And interesting?!”

“I must admit to a certain fascination regarding the actions that they take and what criteria led them to choose any given path over another one.”

“In other words, you consider humans to be nothing more than so many little lab rats scurrying around for your entertainment.”

“If they did not act like that, I would not equate their actions so readily to substandard creatures--”

“You’re a pip, you know? A real pip! It wouldn't even dawn on you to lie about something like that, would it?! And I'll tell you something else right now, too. Some people out there might not be as tolerant of your attitude as I am. A lot of people would take umbrage with what you just said when you compared them to lab rats. And that wasn't bad enough! You had to describe them as scurrying around, like we humans don't have the sense of an addlepated salamander with sunstroke!"

"What do salamanders have to do with--"

"Nothing! Not a damn thing! Tell me, could you might ever find it in your heart to help your fellow man? You know… just for the hell of it?” McCoy held out his hand with an imploring gesture while his eyes pleaded. “Just because it might be the RIGHT thing to do?! The DECENT thing?!”

“I find that this is neither the time nor the place to be engaging in philosophical discussions such as this one, Doctor. We are on an away mission to access this foreign terrain, not presenting opposing viewpoints of a question for Captain Kirk’s benefit. I suggest that you concentrate on your assigned tasks to the exclusion of outside stimuli.”

“I was! Or I was trying to! You were the one who hunted me up to delve into the motives behind my apparently questionable behavior! Whatever in the hell that might be," McCoy muttered as he turned aside with glaring eyes.

“Dr. McCoy, may I remind you that I am in charge of this away mission?” Spock said in a tired voice. 

“Yeah, I got that message some time ago,” McCoy muttered back.

But Spock would not be deterred. “And as such, it is my duty to inquire about your ability to serve on this mission.”

“I got that message, too. So this is your version of doing what is right, eh? Of being decent? Of drawing me out?”

"It is my version of being the leader of this mission."

"Well, you don't have to be so pissy about it!"

"Doctor, please, not so loud," Spock said softly.

"Oh, the other people are out of earshot," McCoy said, glancing around, making sure of what he was saying.

"Still, you need to refrain from undermining my authority."

"I wasn't trying to do that."

"Odd. That is how it was seeming to me."

"Sorry. I did not intend to do that. I thought that we were just talking things through. Like always. Besides, the others won't hear what's being said between us. I'll make certain of that."

"Thank you. I do appreciate that."

"Well, it would only be decent of me now, wouldn't it? Besides, I don't want to be up on mutiny charges. I know how fast you'd report me for insubordination."

"It would not come to that. I would make certain of that."

McCoy grinned. "Mutual protective society, eh?"

"I am not too certain of what you are meaning."

McCoy squinted out across the barren landscape in front of them. "It means that it's a good thing what we're doing for each other, Spock. Believe me." He glanced at Spock. "We're both being decent, okay? And that's doing the right thing, isn't it? Being decent? For each other? At least it is in my book."

"I have not done any in-depth research pertaining to that topic in divinity studies.”

"What in the hell do divinity studies have to do with what we're talking about?! Just let common sense be your guide on this one!"

"You were discussing decency and that reminded me of your philosophical questions of a few moments ago. I believe that those propositions are bordering on theological ideas. Along with the college psychology courses, I also found little or no interest in divinity studies."

“You don’t have to be a minister to minister to people!”

“That could be a confusing statement, Doctor.”

“My apologies. I forgot that you try to have no empathy or succor for others.”

“Nor am I without some empathy, Doctor. That would make me callous, indeed, if I possessed no empathy at all. I regret that I project such an uncaring image to the people around me. I hoped that I projected a more enlightened regard than that.”

“Now I’ve gone and hurt your feelings. My apologies to your shattered image of yourself and to the loss of your enlightened state.”

“Are you being factious, Doctor?”

“Perhaps I am. My apologies again.”

“And my apologies, if you have to keep on apologizing for everything you say.”

“Let’s call it a draw, okay? I don't know why I am being so quarrelsome today."

"Really? Are you beginning to lie to yourself, Doctor?”

"If I am, it's just a way of protecting myself from what we found."

"I know."

"I got a little rattled and am needing some grounding, don't I? I just needed to remember about humanity and humaneness and the innate goodness of people. That they still exist. I needed to know that, so I can go on. That there's a reason to go on," McCoy said with a small smile that had nothing to do with humor, just his gratitude.

"Perhaps we all could benefit from that."

"But old emotional me more than anyone?" McCoy sighed and glanced around at the barren, monotone landscape surrounding them. “It’s this place. It’d get on anyone’s nerves. It's so harsh and unforgiving. How could anyone ever feel at home on this hostile rock?" He shook himself. "No wonder the settlers went crazy here.”

“That is the theory at least. We have to assume that is what happened since we have found no signs of life.”

McCoy frowned as he stopped walking. “No, just signs that there used to be life here. I don’t know what killed those poor bastards that we found, excepting each other." He grew introspective and anyone could tell that this was the heart of what was bothering him.

Spock did not urge him to speak or to resume walking. He just stood and waited.

McCoy stared unseeing into the far distant hills which were merely a continuation of the bare red rocks around them. "You know, as a doctor, I've seen about everything, or at least have heard about it. But this, this is beyond anything I've ever come across. It disgusts me as a human being." He flinched. "I rarely find two corpses with their hands locked around the other one’s throat. They died because they wouldn’t release their death grip. It was almost as if killing the other guy was more important than survival. The survival urge is mighty strong in people.” He grimaced. “And so is survival of the species. Yet nothing that we’ve found indicates that either instinct was still guiding those poor bastards. It goes against the grain of everything I know as a doctor and as a human being. It’s just, just too indecent to think about, that disregard for the preservation of life.”

“So that is why you have become silent?” Spock asked softly. “What we discovered has horrified you and has shaken your belief in the basic goodness of mankind?”

“Wouldn’t it for anybody?” McCoy muttered as he looked aside. “Damn place! It must drive men crazy! There's something tainted here! Something evil! Something beyond these dry red rocks and howling wind!”

“Perhaps it can be a lesson for us.”

“Yeah. Don't send any more settlers here!”

“And I would further recommend not to consider it for even a penal colony. It would be too inhumane. There is something sinister about this environment that turns a man against others and against himself. Its influence is something unholy.” He glanced at McCoy who seemed to be believing everything that Spock said. “But it will not harm us. We will not allow it to do so. We know what it is capable of doing, and we will be above its influence.”

“I’ve got your personal guarantee on that?”

“Yes, you do, Doctor. We will stay strong. For ourselves and for each other. Because we are men, and that is what we do. The men who died here may have forgotten those truths, but we will not. Life will go on because mankind is inherently good.”

McCoy studied Spock, then nodded. “Thanks. I needed to hear that again.” He smiled. "But you? Being optimistic?"

Spock shrugged. "I believe in a Lifeforce that is not built on pessimism. That is not logical."

"Coulda fooled me."

"I cannot believe in a universe that is against itself. Logic dictates that it is in harmony with itself and is vibrating for a continual building of itself for the common good."

"Now you're losing me."

This time, Spock smiled. "You brought it up, Doctor. Besides, you have said the same things. Just differently."

They trudged along for several quiet steps in the unforgiving landscape.

Then McCoy spoke. “I thought you were incapable of lying, Commander.”

“What do you mean, Doctor?”

“You said that you found little interest in psychology or divinity studies in college, yet you seem to have quite a working knowledge of both of them. Or is this all in the same category of being able to say the same things, just differently?”

Spock turned away. He did not wish for the conversation to become any more personal, even if that was what McCoy had needed a moment ago. Now there was danger of allowing McCoy to see too much of him, and with that knowledge would come power to McCoy. “That is just your perception of me, Doctor. Nothing more.”

McCoy’s eyes twinkled at him. “Well, I’ll just keep my distorted perception of you to myself from now on, if that’s what you want. But it won’t change my opinion of you. You’re really a softy at heart, aren’t you? But don’t worry. I won’t tell, if that’s what you really want.”

“Whatever suits you, Doctor. I am quite certain that you will continue to act and think as you see fit.”

“Damn straight! It helps to keep you in line.”

Spock shot him a quizzical look. “You believe that you need to keep me in line? Your superior officer?”

“We're not talking about officers anymore! We're talking about guys! You and me! And what we are to each other!" McCoy forced himself to calm down. "I believe that we all have to help each other,” he added softly. “That’s what will keep us civilized." He bit his lips together. "And not dying just to keep the other guy from living.”

Spock gave McCoy a critical look. “You are romanticizing this planet’s situation again. There is nothing poetic or majestic above the deaths we have discovered.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But I bet they died for principles as much as they died to prove which one of them was stronger or wiser.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Are you mocking me, Commander?!”

“No. Just stating the truth as I see it.”

“Oh. Oh, okay.”

A guard in a red shirt walked up. “Are we about finished here, sir?” He looked around furtively. “I’d like to get outa here. This place gives me the willies.”

“We’ll leave when Commander Spock is good and ready, Mason!” McCoy snapped with blazing eyes. “And not a damn moment sooner!”

“This is alright, Doctor. Mr. Mason, I believe that we have finished our reconnaissance for now. Gather the others and we will transport back to the Enterprise.”

“Yes, sir!” Mason answered gleefully as he rushed off to obey orders.

“Maybe this place is getting to me again,” McCoy grumbled in an off-handed apology.

“It bothers all of us. The quiet after death always does. For it is the Great Unknown.”

McCoy studied Spock. No way was that guy all Vulcan in his thinking! Another thing, too, was that he had won more of McCoy’s respect on this away mission. And McCoy felt that he had won a little bit of empathy from Spock. Spock even seemed more compassionate toward him. 

Mason, all smiles, rushed up with the others who were also anxious to be done with this death planet. “All present and accounted for, Commander Spock!” he reported eagerly.

“Good.” Spock turned on his communicator. “Six to beam up, Mr. Scott.” Then, aside to McCoy, he warned, “Do be careful of your position, Dr. McCoy. Do not be out of range of the beam. We do not wish to leave you behind, and I am certain that you do not wish that, either.”

“Oh, okay,” McCoy answered as he corrected his stance. “Thanks.”

As their images began to vibrate, McCoy decided that Spock wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Who knew? Spock even seemed to be coming around and might even prove to be a good friend.

But, then again, that might’ve just been McCoy’s spin on things today. This planet did seem to have a strange effect on people. Why, it might even be able to bring some people together.

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of Star Trek, its characters, and/or its story lines.


End file.
